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WI J. WINGHART. Oommode Pat ented Man, 30, 1880.

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\VILLIAM J. WINGHART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMMODE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,011, dated March 30, 1880.

- Application filed December 8, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. WINGHAR'I, of the city of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gommodes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention aims to provide an improved commode for steamboats, ships, or railroadcars, which will protect the person from the strong drafts, cold, or waves to which it is exposed in the present commodes or closets, which open without protection directly over the track or water.

The invention may be stated to essentially consist in a commode constructed with a depressible seat and a receiving vessel or pan, made in two separable sections arranged to close together by the depression of the seat, and to separate and permit the discharge of the deposit when the seat rises.

The invention also consists in mechanism for operating a flushing device, and in some novel minor details, as hereinafter set forth.

The drawings annexed present, in Figure 1, a front sectional elevation of my improved commode, and in Fig. 2 a cross-section of Fig. 1.

As illustrated, (0 indicates the casing or frame-work of the commode; Z), the seat hinged thereto, and c the chamber or aperture of the commode. In this chamber, below the seat, is arranged a pan, cl (1, which acts both as a receiver of the deposit and a valve to close the external aperture of the commode, and thus protect the person during use. The pan in this embodiment of my invention is of proximately hemispherical form, bisected vertically into two movable sections, which are pivoted at the top edge in the frame in such manner as to open apart or close together, as will be readily understood.

The top edges of the sections (1 d of the pan are fitted with short lugs 66, which bear against the under side of the seat, while strong springs ff, arranged as shown, tend to constantly open or separate the sections of the pan and raise the seat into the position illustrated.

It will be observed, however, that when the seat is depressed or sat upon the sections of the pan will be closed together automatically, the edge of one section fitting into the other or meeting tightly, as indicated by dotted lines, so as to produce a close joint, thereby closing the external aperture of the commode and protecting the person from cold, drafts, or other exposure during the period of use. When the seat is released the springs separate or open the sections of the pan and allow the discharge of the deposit to take place, as will be readily understood.

I prefer in some cases to provide the commode with a means of flushing the pan with water, sand, or earth, to prevent the adhesion of the deposit and render the action of the commode more cleanly, which is shown best in Fig. 2. As there illustrated, 9 indicates a reservoir or hopper for the cleansing material, preferably fine sand; and h, a measuring'chamber, into which the hopper discharges, and from the base of which a chute, z, descends to the pan.

In the measuring-chamber a disch arge-valve, 7c, governs the outflow of the measured charge through the chute i, while a charging-valve, l, governs the inflow from the hopper y. These valves are preferably both arranged on the same stem m, which extends tightly ,through the base of the measuring-chamber and rests upon a prolongation, a, of the seat. By this means it will be readily observed that when the seat is depressed and the pan closed the discharge-valve will be opened.

It will be readily understood that the special form of bisected or separable pan illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 may be opened or closed by a pull or other device independent of the seat, which may or may not in this special case be fixed, and instead of both sections of the pan being separable one may be fixed and the other arranged to close against it; but the precise construction shown is preferred.

What I claim as my invention isl. A commode constructed with a depressible seat, in combination with a receiving vessel or pan made in two laterally-separable sections normally separate or open, but closed together by the depression of the seat, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A commode constructed with areceiving vessel or pan made in two laterally-separable sections normally separated or open, in combination with a means of closing the said sec'- 5. The combination, with a commode, of the tions when the commode is used, substantially measuring chamber g, connected with a supas herein set forth. ply of cleansing material and provided with 3. The combination of the separable seca discharge-chute extending to the pan, with 20 5 tional receiving vessel or pan d d with springs the charging and discharging valves 70 l, arf f, arranged to constantly open or separate ranged on the same stem m, which extends the sections of said pan, and a means for voldirectly to and is operated by'a prolongation untarily or automatically closing the said secof the depressible seat, substantially as herein tions when the commode is used, substantially shown and described.

10 as herein set forth.

4. The combination, with the depressible WILLIAM J. WINGHART.

seat I), of the separable sectional receiving vessel or pan (Z d and springsff, arranged to con- \Vitnesses:

stantly open or separate the sections of said EDWARD H. \VALES, I 5 pan, substantially as herein shown and de- CHAS. M. HIGGINS.

scribed. 

